(Yicai) Aug. 20 -- China has added Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam to its 240-hour visa-free transit program and Hainan's 30-day visa-free entry policy, further expanding visa-free access to the world’s second-largest economy.

The move, effective today, brings the number of countries eligible for the 240-hour visa-free transit policy to 57 and those covered by Hainan's 30-day visa-free entry policy to 61, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam holding ordinary passports and connecting tickets with confirmed dates and itineraries to a third country or region can enter China visa-free through 65 designated ports, including those in Beijing and Shanghai, and stay in permitted areas for up to 240 hours.

The expanded policies are expected to facilitate tourism, business exchanges, visits, and investment between China and the two countries in Central and Southeast Asia, respectively.

Previously, China began allowing tour groups from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to enter Xishuangbanna in southwestern Yunnan province visa-free for up to 144 hours in February 2025. Vietnam is among the countries covered by that policy.

Hekou Port in Yunnan has become a preferred entry point into China for travelers from northern Vietnam because of its convenient transport links. The number of inbound and outbound passenger trips through the port topped four million as of Aug. 13, up 5 percent from a year earlier. The port handles nearly 17,800 passenger trips a day on average, with the single-day peak exceeding 23,000.

Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports still need visas to travel to Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam.

Editor: Emmi Laine